Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2

Name: Rich Anderson

Party: Republican

Date of birth: 1974

Residence: Montgomery

Political experience: None

Professional experience: Law clerk, Justice Gorman Houston, Alabama Supreme Court, 2000-2001; attorney, private practice, 2001-2007; assistant attorney general, Alabama Attorney General’s Office, Capital Litigation Division, 2007-present.

Education: University of Mississippi, bachelor’s, English, 1997; Washington & Lee University School of Law, Lexington, Va., juris doctor, 2000.

Civic experience: Board member, Friends of Arts Magnet Education, the citizen support organization for Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet school, 2015-present; board president; Capri Community Film Society; St. John’s Episcopal Church, lay Eucharistic minister.

Main issues: Anderson said the primary role of a judge on the Court of Criminal Appeals is to review cases, then write “strong, well-reasoned and well-written options. For a decade I’ve been doing that as a key part of my job fighting for the people of Alabama in the most serious and complex criminal appeals that our courts face. That experience has uniquely equipped me to be the judge Alabama needs.”

Anderson pledged to follow state and federal laws.

“As a judicial candidate, my intent is to be a judge who will faithfully apply the laws of the State of Alabama, in compliance with the Alabama and United States Constitutions, “Anderson said. “I believe that judges have a duty to render faithful service to the people of Alabama, including the duty to render just and timely decisions, without favoritism to any party or special interest and without concern for the political consequences of any decision.”

Top contributors: $41,004, Richard D. Anderson of Montgomery; $1,500, Jerry Kelly of Brewton; $1,000 each, Guice Slawson, Guice Slawson Jr. and William R. Stevenson, all of Montgomery.

Campaign: https://www.facebook.com/andersonforalabama/